Porto Joffrey, a fish camp on the rio Paraguay in the Patanal

Day 12 (334 km)

2 days in Chapada do Guimareas gave us a lot of scenery in a relative cool weather at 800 meters altitude and we left early to go to the end of the road in the Patanal, We had to go through a big city Cuiaba, where we got lost, but around noon we found the road to Pocone, which was a good paved road a 100km more south. There we had some bites to eat, filled up on water for the 4 hour dirt road into the famous “Transpantaneira” road with their more as 200 plank bridges.

Good for us the road was dry even thou it was the rainy season and the wetlands were flooded and were making good process, passed some cattle ranchers with 1000 of cows and we were in the middle, even saw a herd of water buffalo’s, Capi baras were sitting on the side of the road by the hundred’s and crocks (freshwater ones) were sunbathing or running cross the road. Scotty used one for a speed bump and ran over him, but it seemed didn't bother it. Thousands of birds and reptiles covered the road as well. If we saw 5 cars in the whole road in this heat 40 C, it would have been a lie! 4:30 pm we reach the settlement on the Paraguay river, which was not more as a fish camp without any hotels, just camping the rough way in the middle  of millions of mosquitos, which were ferocious.

There were maybe a 100 rednecks in their pick-ups camping out and cleaning fish and drinking beer. They charged us $ 60.00 US each for camping with 3 meals and a dollar for every 100 cc of beer. Surprisingly, I slept pretty well and around 4am next morning most of them got up, started their engines and went fishing.